Month: February 2018

Marienville, PA. (February 16, 2018) –The Allegheny National Forest will soon be salvaging trees in Warrants 3766, 3773, 3782, and 3788, Highland Township, Elk County and Warrant 3782, Wetmore Township, McKean County, Pennsylvania, damaged during a May 1, 2017, windstorm. Marienville District Ranger Rob Fallon recently signed a decision memo allowing salvage operations to take place on approximately 184 acres of National Forest System lands. “Salvage timber harvests may occur in response to forest health issues or catastrophic events, such as wind or ice,” Fallon said. “We want to recover the economic value of the damaged trees that would otherwise be lost if the wind thrown or damaged trees are not salvaged.”

Approximately 1,500 acres of wind thrown trees occurred across the Marienville Ranger District as a result of the May 1 storm. This is one of a series of proposals, analyses and decisions regarding potential treatment of these wind throw areas.

Warren, Pa. (February 9, 2018) –The Timberline and Rocky Gap ATV/OHM trails on the Allegheny National Forest will open at 8:00 a.m. on Friday, February 9, 2018. Additionally, Allegheny Snowmobile Connector Trail #12 (McCray’s Pond) will be opened for snowmobile use only. All other motorized trails (Willow Creek and Marienville ATV/OHM trails and the Penoke Off-Highway Motorcycle trail) remain closed until Friday, May 25, 2018.

Riding the ATV/OHM trails requires a permit, which can be purchased at any of the Allegheny National Forest (ANF) offices or any authorized vendor. The list of vendors can be found on the Allegheny’s website. The 2018 ATV/OHM and trail bike permits cost $10 for a day permit or $35 for an annual permit. Applications can be obtained at any ANF office or by going online: http://www.fs.usda.gov/main/allegheny/home and clicking on the Passes and Permits link.

The ATV/OHM trails will remain open until temperatures and/or trail conditions no longer support winter use. This includes sustained warming temperatures, evidence of damage to the trail surface, and/or unsafe icing conditions. Similarly, Allegheny Snowmobile Connector Trail #12 (McCray’s Pond) will remain open until trail conditions do not permit safe use of that segment. The ANF will evaluate the ATV/OHM and Allegheny Snowmobile Trail #12 trail conditions weekly and will send out a media release and post information on the web when access changes-please check access conditions prior to use.

Users should employ caution when on any of the trails, as many are open for multiple uses, and you may encounter vehicles, groomers, snowshoers, and skiers at any time.

WILCOX – Months after the sewage system at Twin Lakes Recreation Area in Elk County was shut off due to lack of funding, officials with Allegheny National Forest have announced that camping will not be available at the facility this year.

“This is not a decision to close Twin Lakes, but for 2018, the ANF does not have the funding or means to address deficiencies with the wastewater treatment system that led to the early closure of the site in September 2017, or the lingering issues with other facilities that support camping at Twin Lakes,” said Marienville District Ranger Rob Fallon.

Officials said appropriated funding has dropped over the past decade, with an additional drop of 12 percent since 2015.

The lack of funding has meant park officials don’t have the means necessary to address maintenance for facilities, and has also caused a reduction of staff. Officials said that despite the decision to close camping actives for 2018, it does not mean they will close it permanently.

Park officials will be having two open houses for the community to gather their input for the site.

The first meeting is being held Thursday at 6:30 p.m., and the second is Feb. 10 at 1 p.m. Both meetings will take place at the Jones Township Municipal Building at 320 Faries Street.